Loaders



May 27, 1958 D. GUsTAvssoN LOADERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 14, 1952 May 27, 1958 D. GusTAvssoN LOADERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 14, 1952 IN ENTOR ATTORNEY May 27, 1958 D. GUsTAvssoN- 2,836,312

LOADERS Filed April 14, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 N 70 l I Q Nv N'roR ATTORNEY D. GUSTAVSSON May 27, 195s LOADERS Filed April 14, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l INVENTOR.

e im E A May 27, 1958 D. GUsTAvssoN 2,836,312

LOADERS Filed April 14, 1952 e sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR.

May 27, 1958 D GUSTAVSSON 2,836,312

LOADERS Filed April 14, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Y INVENTOR.

ilnite Dimi LOADERS David Gustar/ssen, rebro, Sweden, assignor to Atlas Copco Aktieboiag, Nacka, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden This invention relates to loaders of the type comprising in combination a base, a superstructure mounted to swing horizontally on said base, `a shovel carried by said superstructure and movable on the superstructure from a loading position into a discharge position, and means for swinging the superstructure horizontally on the base. Such loaders are conventional in mines and tunnels and other working places with restricted head room for loading ore or rock or the like in mine cars or the like. The base of these loaders is usually provided with wheels adapted to run on rails laid on the mine door. Furthermore, the base is usually provided with a traction motor connected to one or both pairs of wheels. Said motor is often a reversible compressed air driven motor but electric or internal combustion motors are also used. Furthermore, a second motor is usually provided on the superstructure for moving the shovel from loading or digging position to discharge position.

in loa-ders of the above described and similar well known types it has been suggested to provide pressure iiuid cylinders for swinging the superstructure and shovel horizontally on the base.

One object of this invention is to provide improved means for such horizontal swinging Which permit'the operator of the loader in a simple way to swing the superstructure and shovel horizontally from lateral loading or digging positions into a position in a plane such as the longitudinal centre plane of the loader, in which the discharge of the shovel takes place, as well as to swing the superstructure and shovel laterally into any desired lateral position in which the lling of the shovel or the 'digging operation takes place. A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically swinging the superstructure and shovel horizontally into said centre or other discharge position during the motion of the shovel from the lling or digging position to the discharge position. A still further object of the invention is to provide horizontal swinging means for the superstructure and shovel which are simple in manufacture and maintenance and which are of a rugged design fit for loaders of the above type. a loader of the type described at least one pressure fluid cylinder and piston operable to swing the superstructure on the base horizontally from a lateral position towards a centre position or the like, and at least one further pressure fluid cylinder and piston in said loader operable to swing the superstructure on the base horizontally from said centre position or the like into a lateral filling or digging position.

in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of a loader according to the invention and a modication thereof are illustrated by way of example. Fig. l is a side view of a loader in which portions of the shovel and a side wall of the superstructure are broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section substantially on line ll-II of Fig. l on a larger scale. Fig. 3 illustrates on a still larger scale details of a valve mechanism for automatically centering the superstructure and the shovel. Fig. 4 is a side view For these and other purposes I provide in aient lCC i2 of a loader showing a modication of the loader illustrated in Fig. l. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate on a larger scale details ofthe automatic centering mechanism of the loader according to Fig. 4. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a valve mechanism forming a part of the loader according to Figs. l and 2.

The loader illustrated in Figs. 1 3 and 7-9 consists of a movable base 1 on which a superstructure 2 is mounted on ball bearings 3 so that the superstructure may be swung horizontally from a centre position into various lateral positions and vice versa. The superstructure 2 comprises a turn table provided with two rails 4 on which two rockers forming a rocker structure 5 carrying a shovel 6 may produce a rolling movement during the motion of the shovel from the low loading or digging position illustrated in Fig. l to an elevated discharge position (not illustrated) at the opposite end of the loader. The means for producing this rolling motion have not been illustrated in the drawing since they are well known in connection with loaders of this type which are used in mines and in tunneling operations in rock for loading material from the floor to a car.

Two compressed air operated cylinders 7 and 8 are provided in the base 1 as is obvious from Figs. l and 2. The cylinder 7 contains a piston 9 which is double-'acting and connected by means oi a piston rod ld and a link 11 to a plate 12 rigidly secured to a hub 65 attached to the bottom of the superstructure 2. Consequently, the plate l2 always moves together with the superstructure. The supply and discharge, respectively, of pressure duid such as compressed air, to and from the cylinder 7 is controlled by a valve disposed in a valve casing i3 provided on the base l.l The valve casing i3 has provided therein a piston valve 14 (Fig. 7) which is reciprocable against the action of a spring 15 and carries a roller 1a which cooperates with a cam 67 provided on the turntable 65 of the superstructure 2. The valve casing i3 has passages i7 and i3 connected through conduits i9 and 2A) with spaces 26 and 27, respectively, on the opposite sides of the piston 9 in the cylinder 7. The valve casing 13 is furthermore provided with passages 2i, 22, 23 of which the passages 21 and 23 are open to the atmosphere whereas the passage 22 is connected through a pipe 2S to a control valve casing 29 provided on one of the side walls 68 of e superstructure 2. The pipe 28 is partially a exible pipe which permits movement of the superstructure 2 relative to the base i. rEhe control valve casing 29 is connected through a pipe 3i) to a conduit 31 to which compressed airis supplied to the loader from a compressed air system. The valve device 29 is illustrated on a larger scale in Fig. 3. A bell crank lever 32 is mounted on the superstructure 2 in such a manner that it is situated in the path of the rocker structure 5. The bell crank lever is fixed on a shaft 33 which is journalled in the superstructure and carries a lever 34 cooperating in a certain position of the bell crank lever to lift a lever 35 which is Lalso journalled on the superstructure 2 by means of a trunnion 69. A valve member 36 bears on the lever 35 with a roller 7d and is movable in the valve casing 29 from a position in which it closes the communication between the conduits 36 and 2S and simultaneously opens a communication between the conduit 2S and the atmosphere to a position in which the valve member opens the communication between the conduits 30 and 23 and closes the communication from the conduit 23 to the atmosphere.

When the rocker structure during the movement of the shovel 6 from loading or digging position to discharge position rolls along the rails 4 and passes the bell crank lever 32 said lever is swung from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 in which compressed air is admitted from the conduit 31 through rupted.

- Y passera the-'conduit 30, the valve housing 29, theV conduit 28 to v thefvalve casing 13. If the valve member 14 is then in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7, i. e. if Ythe shovel and the superstructure are aligned in the longitudinal centre plane of the loader, tlie'njhe ,roller 16 bearsori Aa portion. 71 of the cam 67 and-the valve member14'is vin Y positionriniwhich the` rocker structureV 5 mayvpassrthe Y levers without catchingthem, said position being taken 'the position illustrated in Fig. 7.f -Compressied airis then Y not'admtted to the cylinder spaces 26 or 27 ofthe cylinder 7 which are both'vented tothe atmosphere through the passages 21 and 23 as is obvious from Fig. 7. However,rif the shovel and the superstructure `2 at the beginning of the shovel movement was swung'laterally so ,that

the roller416 bore against the portion 72 or 73 Vof, the Ycam 67, then compressed air would have been supplied to the valve casing 13 fromthe passage 22' to theV passage 17 or 18 andcylinder-chamber v26 or 27, respectively. The piston 9 then movesV in a direction to swingfthe superstructure 2 to centre position in which Vthe roller 16 'bears again on the Vportion 71 of the cam 67 and thel air `vin the cylinder 7 is again ventedto the atmosphere and ithe supply of compressed air to the Passage 22 is inter- Y On the basel ak small cylinder 37 Vwith vertical axis is l Y also provided, said cylinder communicating through a con- VVduit 38 with the conduit'28 so that compressed air is always admitted to the cylinder 37 as soon as'compr'essed `air is admitted to lthe conduit 28. The cylinder 37 contains a piston 39 displarceable by'air pressure in the cylinl'v t der against Vthe action ofV a spring and .having a'pistonV rod `40 which tends to projectfromthebase towards the bottom 65 `of the superstruc'tur'el.Y YSaid bottomhas a 'corresponding recess '41 whichj the Vpiston rod 40'may cuter as soon as it registers with the recess and the shovel y ,lis'in centered position. When the shovel is swun'gfrom any lateral position tothe centre position by means of the piston 9 the piston rodf40 is always Yreadyto enter the YY'recess 41 as soon as theV superstructure and the shovel have reached centre position.

Upon entering'the recess thelp'istonV rod locks the superstructure 2 relative to the base 1V in said centered position. v f

The cylinder 8 which is also disposed in the base serves to swing the superstructure 2 and shovel 6 laterally from centre position. Said cylinder contains a piston 42 which fbymeans of a piston vrod 43 and a link 44 is connected with the plate 12. The cylinder spaces 45 and 46 of the cylinder 8 are connected through conduits 47 and 48 with a valve casing 49 the valve member of which (notA illustrated in the drawing) is manipulated by means of Y a leverS. 'This valve may be madeso that compressed air is supplied to one or the other of the cylinder spaces vor 46, respectively, when the lever 50 is tilted towards or away from the side Wall 68 of the superstructure 2. Numeral V51 in Fig. l indicates a valve casing containing means for controlling the traction-engine of the loader -and 52 indicates a valvecasing containing means for controlling the rocking motion of the shovel and rocker structure 5, 6 along the rails 4 on the superstructure. A lever 53 serves to control the rockermotion and the lever 50 Vmay be arrangedtocontrol the traction engine and simultaneously the lateral swinging of the'superstructure.

in which they are in thel path of theA rocker structure 5 Y when said structure moves the shovel from discharge position to loading position, Vas indicated in connection Y lever'56 in Figs. 5 and6, vand, `furthernioraa 75 by the lever 55 in Figs. 5 and 6. Coil springs 57 and 58 are provided for moving thelevers to the last-mentioned position. A rod 60 is. movable in its longitudinal direc- V tion in brackets 59 disposed;` on the side wall 54. Said rod is VVprovided with pins' `61`and 62 which cooperate respectively with the levers'SS and 56. The roller 70 of the Valve member 36 bears on the rod 6i) having a recess 63 which Ythev rollerl enters when the rod `is displaced'to the right in Figs; 5 and 6 and the shovel is in loading or digging position, Y

When therrocker structure 5 moves the shovelfrom loadingposition todischarge position the Yrocker. pushes the lever 55 to the positions illustrated in FigsLS and 6. Y

The rod 69 then takesthe position illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 and compressed air froml the conduit 31 is admitted through the conduit 30, the, valve casing 29the conduit Y y 2.8 torthe valvecasing 13. CenteringV of the superstructure 2 is then produced in the same mannerY as described in connection with Figs. 1-4 and'7-9. 'Y Y n p The loaders above describedY and illustratedr in the drawings should be considered only as examples and may 'be modified in various',ditferent ways within the scope of the claims. For instance, instead of compressed airother pressure iluids, such as` pressure liquid, may be usedrfor producing the centering or lateral swinging motion of the sup'erstructureon the loader base. Themechanisms for automatically centering the superstructure andshovel may sometimes be `di'spensedwithand replaced by aY valve Y mechanism controlled by the operatorvat'his will. j What rI claim is: i

, 1'.' A loader comprising in combination'a base, a super? structure swingable horizontally on saidV base, a shovel carried by said superstructure and movable on the super-rV Vstructure from a lateral loading or digging position to a central discharge position, va centering pressure fluid cylinder and piston' inV said loader operable to swing the superstructure on the Vbase horizontally from any ,lateral position within an arc of approximately 907 Yto Veither side of said central position towards said kcentral position, and an additional pressure uid cylinder and piston in said loader operable separately from said centeringcyl- `inder and piston to swing thersuperstructurevon the base (horizontally into lateral loading or digging position.`

2. A loader'as'edened in claim 1 in which the pressure fluid supply Vto the centering'cylinder is admitted under control of means movable from an inoperative position to a centering position in response to the, movement ofthe shovel from loading positionto discharge position, Y n. f l 3.,A loader as dened in claim 1 in which the centerring cylinder is double-acting, one cylinder -end operating tofcenter the superstructure from lateral positions at one side ofV said central position andthe other from lateral Y positions at the opposite side of lsaid central position,"and in which a selecting distributor valve is provided for automatically conducting pressure uid to theV cylinder end of theside of the centering piston whichfproduces centering motion from Ythe position just taken by the superstructure. Y Y

4. A loader comprising in combination a movable base, la superstrcture swingable Vhorizontally'fon said bas-e, a shovel, arocker structureY carrying said shovelandmov-V able on said superstructure to carry the-shovelfroin;a1 digging and load receiving positionat'one sideof-'the superstructure over the base to a load dischargepo'sition Vatthe opposite side of the superstructure, ardoublelacting pressure fluid centering cylinderY connected"totheV superstructure and the base for swinging said'superstruf turey relative to said base Vfrom variouslateral positions toward a center position,V means forsupplyingjpressure .fluid to saidcentering 'cylinder forfeffectingv suchV surfing-v ing, an additional'double acting'pressureiiiuidcylinder` operable independently of thercentering cylinder.` and connected to the superstructure and the base for swinging said superstructure relative to said base from a center position to various lateral positions, and a manually operable valve mechanism for supplying pressure uid to one end or the other of said additional cylinder for controlling horizontal swinging caused in one direction or other other by said cylinder.

5. A loader comprising a mobile base, a superstructure mounted to turn in a horizontal plane on said base to lateral positions at either side of a center position, a loading element, a rocker structure carrying said element and movably mounted on said superstructure to swing said element in a vertical plane between loading and discharge positions, a power cylinder and piston operatively Connected between said base and said superstructure for turning the latter from any of its lateral positions to said center position, means for admitting pressure uid to said cylinder to actuate said piston, said means including a control valve responsive to the position of said superstructure for admitting fluid to the cylinder to cause the superstructure to be moved from any lateral position to said center position and to vent the cylinder when the latter position is reached, and separate means operable independently of said cylinder for turning said superstructure from said center position to selected lateral positions on either side of said center position.

6. A loader as delined in claim 5 including fluid pressure actuated locking means for holding said superstructure in said center position and means for supplying pressure Huid to said locking means to activate the same only when pressure fluid is admitted to said control valve.

7. A loader as defined in claim 5 including valve means operable in response to movement of said rocker structure toward said discharge position from loading position for admitting pressure uid to said control valve, whereby to initiate movement of the structure toward said center position concomitantly with movement of the loading element to discharge position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,466 Butler Aug. 25, 1925 1,585,863 Jones May 25, 1926 2,365,773 Osgood Dec. 26, 1944 

